Watch out for online job scams

With continued layoffs in nearly every industry, finding a job gets harder and harder. Making it more difficult are the job scams are popping up online.

Sharon Parnell started searching for a job two months ago. After falling for a job scheme, she’s warning other job seekers about potential scams.

Parnell used job search sites and found several high-paying jobs in the local area. “I started investigating the jobs and at the bottom of the placement, it would say email your resume,” said Parnell.  However, she didn’t have an electronic resume.  “I was very naive about it and did an email to the people anyway, let them know my interest in the position and gave them my cell phone number.“  She then realized the email addresses were similar and that’s when the red flags were raised.

“I feel duped. I feel like i’m very eager to get something and i’m putting in my loyalty into somebody.“  Kathy Graham of the Better Business Bureau warned the scams are everywhere.  “There are all kinds of good looking, promising kinds of jobs, good paying jobs that they look legitimate, but in reality, they’re just trying to get your identity.“  Parnell said she started going to businesses in person.

“I see an ad, I call about the ad, I question it and if it says to give a blind response to an email address, or fax your resume, I’m doing a little but of research on that and going to the phone book and seeing if it’s a reputable employer.“  She said it takes more time, but it’s definitely worth the effort.

You need to be careful of any website you provide your information to, no matter their promises:

• Information on government jobs is always free.
• They never charge an application fee or guarantee jobs.
• Don’t fall for ads pitching unadvertised government jobs.
• Provide the least amount of your personal information as possible. If an employer is interested in your online application they don’t need your social security number to call you for an interview.
• Set-up a PO BOX to use for applications.  The fewer places you offer your street address the better. 
• Be selective about your phone number.  Many times scammers can access accounts just by having a valid phone number.

Don’t use Career-builder.com. The Federal Trade Commission is investigating it.  As for the massive job search website, you can almost guarantee many other people apply for the same jobs so try applying for jobs on official company websites.

You can report fraud to the FTC’s Consumer Response Center at 1-877-382-4357.